Smart

Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) is the Philippines' leading wireless services provider with 50.9 million subscribers on its GSM network as of end-June 2012.Smart has built a reputation for innovation, having introduced world-first wireless data services, such as Smart Money, Smart Load, Smart Padala and the Netphone. Smart also offers 3G and HSPA+ services, and the country’s first and only LTE network. Its Smart Link service provides communications to the global maritime industry. Smart Broadband, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary, offers a wireless broadband service, Smart Broadband, with over 1.63 million subscribers as of end-June 2012.Smart is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Philippines' leading telecommunications carrier, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company.

Community Partnerships: Smart Kabalikat

Efforts of Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) to practice corporate social responsibility (CSR) dates back to its early years when employees, singly or in groups, conducted community service activities. But it was in 2003 that Smart, through the Public Affairs Group, made a commitment to create a cohesive, consolidated CSR and community service (CS) program. Thus, Smart Communities was born.Since then, partnerships have evolved with various stakeholders in the communities that Smart has been working with, particularly in the areas of education, community building, disaster preparedness, environment and health.By creating partnerships, Smart has transformed Smart Communities into a stronger, more established CSR and CS program: Smart Kabalikat. Renaming Smart’s CSR and CS program Kabalikat emphasizes that initiatives are crafted hand in hand with the communities, often involving their participation in various stages, from development to implementation, to evaluation and monitoring.What marks Kabalikat and makes it sustainable is that all its programs and projects are embedded, relevant and aligned to business units and interests. Almost all areas of Kabalikat demonstrate the application of ICT for development, in alignment with a company-wide advocacy to promote ‘Internet for All’.At the same time, Kabalikat programs also serve as incubation and testing ground for the development of new ideas that may produce new products and services. Kabalikat is relevant not only to social investors, shareholders and the general public, but also to employees who keep the spirit of volunteerism alive by participating in CSR and CS initiatives.With Kabalikat, Smart establishes itself as a long-term partner in a community’s development… sa Edukasyon, Kabuhayan, Kaligtasan, Kalikasan at Kalusugan.

Edukasyon

We believe in investing in our youth's future. And we leverage on our technologies, businesses, and people to helping shape education.Recognizing the importance of education, SMART lined up several major community partnership initiatives in the field of education, particularly in promoting computer and Internet literacy. Combined with the spirit of employee volunteerism, we are "broadbanding" education -- the "smart" way.Smart seeks to help improve education in elementary up to tertiary levels under several initiatives.

Kabuhayan

mart is making a difference in the lives of its subscribers, not only in terms of convenient and reliable communications, but also in terms of livelihood opportunities.EntrepreneurshipSince it launched Smart Load in 2003, Smart has been providing income to those involved in the e-load business or the sale of pre-paid mobile airtime.Tipid Sulit PinasA nationwide advocacy campaign where the primary aim is to impress upon each Filipino the value of having a “Diskarteng Tipid-Sulit” (Effective Life Strategy) in coping not just with hard times but with life as a whole and as a nation. This aims to enable sustainable livelihood for Base of the Pyramid communities.Tipid Sulit Pinas! has partnered with a number of organizations including social development foundation Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), three social enterprises which embody the values of “Diskarteng Tipid Sulit”. These are the nanay artisans of Rags to Riches, the dynamic Hapinoy SSS Nanays and Gawad Kalinga Nakar’s Kapitbahayan and Banglos Sculptors. Their stories of success provide inspiration to our country, serving as role models or IDOLS for other BoP communities.Microfinance programThrough its microfinance program, Smart supports the provision and development of solutions that Microfinance Institutions (MFI) can use to perform seamless and efficient loan disbursement and collection transactions. These include provisioning Smart Money services and Mobile-based applications that are expected to further expand opportunities for each MFI partner to serve more areas and increase their membership base.Livelihood for Gawad Kalinga (GK) villagesSmart, together with parent firm PLDT and PLDT-Smart Foundation, has adopted 10 GK villages nationwide.Aside from building houses, Smart seeks to introduce livelihood opportunities which now include driftwood sculpture which led to the birth of the Banglos Sculptors, newspaper bag-making, tarpaulin bag-making, dressmaking, terra cotta art, urban gardening, etc.Smart is also working with partners to identify opportunities to engage individuals or groups in communities in livelihood opportunities like Load Mo Sarili Mo, a member-get-member program that allows subscribers to augment their income by simply using their mobile phone to load airtime for themselves or by sharing load with others.http://www1.smart.com.ph/About/corporate-social-responsibility/kabalikat/kabalikat-sa-kabuhayan

Kaligtasan

Smart’s involvement in disaster preparedness and emergency response began in 1998 when a plane crashed near the peak of Mt. Sumagaya in Barangay Lunotan, Ginoog City. The rugged terrain plus the lack of communication facilities made rescue and retrieval difficult. Thus, Smart engineers dispatched to the site to help in communications found themselves not only troubleshooting, but also setting up calling stations. Families of the victims, those involved in the search, rescue and retrieval operations, as well as members of the media were among those who used the free calling facilities.

This incident also marked the first time that Smart worked closely with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC). Soon after, on August 26, 1998, Smart signed a Memorandum of Understanding that formalized its support for the PRC in times of disaster.

Since then, Smart’s Kabalikat sa Kaligtasan program has been anchored on two main initiatives. One is capacity building in which strong partnerships are forged with agencies like the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Department of Health, Corporate Network for Disaster Response (CNDR), Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation (PDRF) and PRC in conducting disaster preparedness advocacy initiatives. Second is risk reduction initiatives in which the company provides vital communications support to responding agencies as well as those affected; supports early warning systems researches and initiatives that prepare communities and help them cope with calamities and disasters; and provides immediate relief during times of disasters.

Kalikasan

The increasing energy prices and the mounting alarm over global warming present opportunities for Smart to take initiatives that not only make excellent business sense but also enables the company to take a lead role in addressing what is perhaps society’s most profound challenge today -- climate change.As the nation’s leading wireless services provider with facilities strategically located all over the country, Smart recognizes that it plays a great role in leading as well as in contributing to efforts to institutionalize sound environmental practice in the telecoms industry.http://www1.smart.com.ph/About/corporate-social-responsibility/kabalikat/kalikasan

Kalusugan

Smart’s first venture into telehealth was in December 2008 when the company donated 16 computers and Internet connectivity to Pasay City through the UP College of Medicine-National Telehealth Center (UPM-NThC). This was in support of the implementation of a Community Health Information Tracking System (CHITS) for Pasay City’s health centers.Hence, the idea of using the Internet and wireless technology to facilitate health services delivery was born.Through partnerships with health practitioners, local government units, the academe and civic organizations, Smart is now providing connectivity and developing wireless solutions to further enhance health services and delivery under Kabalikat sa Kalusugan.http://www1.smart.com.ph/About/corporate-social-responsibility/kabalikat/kabalikat-sa-kalusugan